People of our word

Numbers 30:2 If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

VOW: a solemn promise or assertion ; specifically: one by which a person is bound to an act, service, or condition(1)

PROMISE: a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified b: a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act(2)

I wonder what the difference is between a promise and a solemn promise. If I make a promise to someone is that less binding than if I make a solemn promise? I think the very nature of the word promise implies a guarantee of execution or refrain.

Let's go one step farther. If I say I am going to do something but don't actually use the word promise in my statement, is that statement any less trustworthy? It shouldn't be. As Christ-followers, we need to be men and women of our word. I have failed miserably many times. I tell someone I am going to do something which, in the moment, I genuinely mean but as time passes it becomes less important to me and it gets bumped down my to-do list. Meanwhile, the other person either is waiting with expectation for me to do what I said, or writes it off because it's to be expected that people will not keep their word.

What happened to integrity? If we were more intentional in our speech, committing to fewer things and following through on those things, we would make great progress in being people of our word, people of integrity.

Matthew 5:37 Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

Diane

1 www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vow[1] accessed 3/3/09

2 IBID